In the installation of pipes and the like in various types of buildings and in particular pipes associated with air conditioning, refrigeration and heating, such as may be utilized in many commercial and industrial establishments, conventional practice is that the pipes are hung from the ceiling by strap hangers.
The most common type of strap hanger employed in the industry comprises a metal strap having apertures for fastening purposes. The strap is looped about the pipe to be secured and then a fastening such as a screw or a similar member is secured to a substrate such as a beam or rafter through the apertures. A similar arrangement is employed when the pipes follow a vertical outline as is also frequently required in their transporting of a fluid from one location to another.
This conventional means of fastening pipes suffers from several disadvantages. Initially, each pipe must be installed individually and as such the installation process is relatively labour intensive. Secondly, the hangers can cause rupturing of the pipes after a period of time. This would occur due to movement of the pipe within the pipe hanger and subsequent surface damage. This movement can occur either due to mechanical vibrations, and/or to a thermal expansion and contraction.